This invention relates generally to a pressure generating device combined with a food compressing attachment. More specifically, this invention relates to a manually operated tabletop pressure generating device which reversibly connects to a food compressing attachment. A user can insert a longitudinal cooking tool such a kabob skewer through the compressing attachment and move it continuous through the attachment interior. This removable attachment interior is shaped to compress semi-solid food continuously along the longitudinal axis of a skewer. A circular disk compresses the food in the container which is then extruded into the food compressing attachment and onto the skewer.
Previous devices include disclosed devices which slice or extrude food products for alignment along a skewer or other tool, often for production of meat, vegetable and fruit kabobs. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,553 (Emsens) discloses a device which automates the production of meat or vegetable kebabs threaded on skewers. The assembly contains numerous tubes which correspond to apertures within a container lid. The tubes fit into corresponding apertures, thereby providing a guiding and positioning assembly for the skewer within each tube. However, Emsens' device lacks the simplicity and ability to retrofit previous pressure generating devices which the present invention comprises.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,757 (Dolle) discloses an apparatus with numerous bores and slide mounts within the main body for the apparatus. The slide's apertures are oriented either coaxially, or offset, within the bores to allow corresponding skewers to move relative to these bores. The immobilization of each skewer in a corresponding bore results from a bearing of the slide in the respective bore. The effectiveness of the invention depends in part upon the material possessing either elastically compressible or possessing a high coefficient of friction. The present invention does not require these materials properties, and Dolle cannot be retrofit existing pressure generating devices in the food industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,447 (Emsens) discloses an assembly which slices foods for shish kabobs. The assembly includes blades which align with slits within a container which contains layers of food materials. The assembly moves to and from a physically separate container so that the blades fit and move forward into, through, and finally away from the food layers through the container slits. U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,195 (Anderson) discloses a device for impaling food segments with skewers. The device includes a base divided into numerous compartments for placing individual food segments. There are guide openings within both end walls and which align with apertures in partition walls, for guiding the skewer through the approximate center of food segments. The present invention is safer that those of Emsens and Anderson, and these devices lack the design to retrofit pressure existing generating devices
U.S. Pat. Application Pub. No. US 2007/0245893 A1 (Chen) discloses an extruder as part of a food container. A piston rod with an attached dish slides into the container, and the lower segment of the dish has an inclined bottom edge. A sealing ring sits within a groove in the dish and presses against the inner container surface. Chen does not disclose a partially hollow component which attaches to the extruding opening and shapes food so no casing or other additional physical binding agent is necessary. U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,450 (Heling) discloses a manually operable extrusion press with a cylinder and piston rod. The piston rod has flexible prongs and a bottom nozzle with at least one aperture. A 90 degree rotation of the piston rod around its own axis causes pawls with flat rod surfaces to enable upward or downward piston movement. Heling does not disclose a partially hollow attachment through which a skewer is continuously and progressively enclosed by compressed food.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,598 (Colosimo et al.) discloses an extrusion die for sausage and other foods. The extrusion die has numerous open ended elongated passages and a v-shaped common inlet. Attachments to the press provide a further method of processing extruded food. U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,545 (Covington et al.) discloses a device for extruding ground food as a continuous column. The column is broken into chunks by wipers which sweep across the extrusion opening No. U.S. RE39, 943 E discloses an extrusion attachment for sausage machines. The attachment contains three concentric tubes under different pressures, and the attachment is threaded for connection to the extruding device. None of these extrusions means are designed to be retrofit to existing pressure generating devices or can be scaled for the end-use of a private home and consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,316 B1 (Chen) discloses an auger device which attaches to a nozzle of a sausage producing machine. The auger extends from the extruder outlet, while a ring is mounted upon the outlet, as is a casing holder. Ground meat is pushed exteriorly by the elongated auger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,442 (Barnes) discloses an extruding method together with a device which cuts extruded meat into pieces. The extrusion plate has several apertures, is perpendicular to the axis of the extruding device, and is made from low friction material. Neither of these devices are designed to retrofit to existing pressure generating devices and the current invention does not require a casing or a device to sever meat exterior to the extruding component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,043 (Hunter) discloses an extruder device for shaping food into discrete shapes. The extruder device contains a pressure vessel for holding mashed food, a manifold connecting with the pressure vessel, and at least one die and cutter assembly which is continuous with the manifold. The die and cutter assembly has an extrusion member with an open end which attaches to the manifold. The extrusion die has a shape which mimics the cross-sectional shape of the food with a substantially constant transverse food flow rate throughout the die.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. US2006/0034959 A1 (Lin) discloses a food extruder with a pressing plate. The pressing plate connects to a supporting frame with an extrusion aperture. An extruding rod slides and extends into a holder by its first end. The pressure generating component moves an extruding rod relative to the entire device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,813 (Podell et al.) discloses a pasta extruder for forming strand-like pasta. There is also an extrusion die plate with numerous apertures within the extruder housing and adjacent to a pressure chamber. U.S. D543802 S (Fuchs) discloses a kabob cutting board with what appear to be skewers attached at one end to the upper surface of a board. All skewers align parallel to each other, and with their opposing ends extending from the board.
None of the above devices exhibit a removable attachment for a pressure generating device which, while acting as a conduit for extruded food, also shapes and compresses the food along a longitudinal device such as a skewer. Furthermore, none of the above device exhibit sufficient flexibility to retrofit existing devices, or are specifically adapted to both manual or electrical, or otherwise operable pressure generating devices. Nor are the above devices the structurally adaptable to future pressure generating device designs. There is also no need to attach a casing or covering to the extruded food to prevent the food from falling from a skewer, because the food is sufficiently compressed to adhere without additional devices.